Peace
by SGAFan
Summary: In the last moments of her life, the elder Elizabeth Weir considers her duty fulfilled. Follow up piece for the story Strength.


**Peace**

**Companion piece to Strength**

_"Trust yourself, Elizabeth. All that matters is right now…"_

"Outposts…each one with a Zero Point Module." Her voice weak, but triumphant, Elizabeth watched Weir's face light up.

She rushed away from the bed, her face…Elizabeth's face_…_filled with hope. So much more than half a chance. That's what Elizabeth had given her.

"The note she left. It's coordinates of planets that have known ZPM's."

Her voice, so young, so strong, is full of excitement…overflowing with hope and strength.

Weakness took her. Elizabeth felt life begin to drain from her body. She'd done what had to…what she promised John, and herself. Her story was told, and they'd never forget her Team. The strength…the bravery, would live on in each of them…an inheritance from her reality. As a parent saw hope and the future in their child, so Elizabeth saw the future in this Team…and the legacy of hers.

"They could still be there."

John. His voice was deep…alive…full of conviction. She'd told him…all of them of their "other" selves, and they had pulled strength from the knowledge. But she'd known they would. They were her Team. Hand picked, each one, she knew they'd survive. She'd fought thousands of years to bring them her story…and they'd done exactly what she knew they'd do. Each one, in their own way, had found strength and purpose from her words.

Her eyes slid shut…life ebbing from her body. Such a familiar feeling, but this time the horror of the stasis chamber would not stop it. A part of Elizabeth relished the feeling. It had been so long in coming…so long that she'd endured the torture of being…of existing between life and death. If she could not have life, then she would choose the peacefulness of a dreamless sleep. But it was not to be…not yet. Something…faith or her own mind, Elizabeth did not know, delayed the shadow of death that stalked her.

She stared down, the familiar precipice enticing her. Just one step off the edge…just one. Darkness beckoned to her and nothing held her back. Nothing…

"_Elizabeth."_

_She turned, meeting the smiling face of John Sheppard. Gratitude warmed his eyes and touched his features. He reached out and took her withered hand in his large one, his powerful grip tempered with compassion. "Thank you."_

_Elizabeth smiled back, her heart filled with joy…with satisfaction. "You will not be forgotten, John, none of you will."_

_His smile was joyful…radiant as he stared deep into her eyes. "Nor will you, Elizabeth."_

_She pulled her eyes from his gaze and looked beyond him. Figures materialized behind him and her breath caught in her throat at the familiar faces smiling back at her. _

_HerTeam…her fate. The faces that kept her sane for thousands of years. Rodney…Peter…Carson…Aiden…she could name them all, she knew them all. Joy filled every pore of her body and unashamed tears fell from her eyes, washing away the pain she had endured for so long. _

_They all smiled at her, but it was McKay that stepped forward._

"_Elizabeth." Rodney took her hand and kissed it gently. "Thank you."_

"_Rodney." Her words were strangled. Choked by a throat tight with emotion. But McKay said no more. _

_He stepped away as she turned her attention back to John. _

_He gave her hand one more squeeze before backing away in tandem with McKay. _

"_Wait!" She took a step towards them. Once. Once she had lost her Team. She would not lose them again. Sheppard's upraised hand stopped her._

"_We'll always be with you, Elizabeth. We're not lost to you," John's expression was knowing…reassuring._

"_Or you to us," Rodney added as he turned away._

"_Your path is different from ours, Elizabeth." John finished. "Walk it. As all of us walk ours."_

_He disappeared…they all did. So quickly, so completely that Elizabeth wondered if they'd ever been there at all. But her uncertainty was short lived as a warm breeze blew over and around her, wrapping her in a comforting grip before it faded away. _

_She smiled. With her indeed._

"_Elizabeth…" _

_Hardly more than a whisper, was it a voice or the wind?  
_

"_Elizabeth…"_

_Still quiet, but with more strength, she knew now what she heard was more than just the wind._

_She knew that voice. Deep…sincere…gentle._

_Simon._

_Elizabeth turned and froze. Unwilling to move, unsure of her eyes, it was all she could do to just stare at him. Simon smiled, and at once what small part of her heart that still felt longing was immediately and fully satisfied. "Simon," she whispered. _

_He walked to her, his face sincere…loving…devoted. _

_Her heart, pulled in so many ways finally, again, felt complete. She clung to him relishing his warm embrace as Simon folded her into his arms. She felt her cares slip away as everything but Simon ceased to exist._

_At last, she was at peace._

Elizabeth dreamt no more.

------------------------------

**_Author's Notes:_**

_1."Trust yourself, Elizabeth. All that matters is right now…"_

_2. "Outposts…each one with a Zero Point Module."_

_3. "The note she left. It's coordinates of planets that have known ZPM's." _

_4. "They could still be there."_

_The above lines are quoted directly from the Atlantis episode "Before I Sleep." I don't claim ownership to any of them….or anything Stargate. Once again, I'm just playing in the universe for a while. :)_


End file.
